Anyone who publishes a book will probably end up doing a reading of that book somewhere. It may be just with friends and family, or it could be a full-blown book tour involving book stores and other venues. Whatever your book tour looks like, I wanted to point out two creative options I used for my book tour that were both great fun and ways to connect with readers outside of what is typically thought of as a book tour.
1. Outdoor Readings
As part of my book tour I went to a local park, set up my typewriter and did periodic readings both from my novel and a collection of poetry. Holding the reading outside and in a live setting that was part of my book was a cool way to contextualize the book and get it out into the world. It had a much more relaxed and creative feel than the lecture/classroom feel of many book readings, and it took it out of the bar/coffee shop paradigm that so often is the realm.
As a bonus, people I had never met who would typically not come to a book reading stopped over because I had my typewriter out- which is an endorsement of the fact that you can never discount a good prop.
You can watch a short excerpt from the reading here: 
Sidewalk Ritual
2. Online Readings
Skype, Google Hangouts and many other options like these allow us to connect with people around the world over the Internet. As part of my book tour I did readings for individuals, groups and book clubs over these online options that allowed people to talk with me and hear a reading regardless of where they lived.
It was great fun. People appreciated the ability to tune in from their own homes, and it offered a way to personally connect when distance would prohibit it otherwise.
Have you done or been to a creative book reading outside of what is typically part of a book reading tour?
Image courtesy of Screenshot from a video of my own reading.
6 comments